Bishops hand Owens her 15th crown

LEXINGTON — Patricia Owens has another state title.

Bishop England (12-8) gave the state's winningest girls' tennis coach title No. 15 Saturday at Lexington County Tennis Complex with a not-so-easy 5-1 win over Emerald (11-3) in the Class AA final. Although the Bishops won the top four singles positions, this one was much closer than last year's final that the Bishops won by the same score over the young team from Greenwood.

"We came close this time ... and they lose three players next year," Emerald coach Susan Timmerman insisted.

Barring a comeback from a set down and title-clinching 11-9 win by the

Bishops' No. 2 doubles team of seniors Madison Boals and Katie Hentz in a third-set match tiebreaker, and a rally from 5-1 down in the first set by senior Hailey Weaver at No. 3 singles, this one could have gone the distance.

"I think some of our kids playing for the first time in the state championship got nervous," said Owens. "Our Nos. 4 and 5 players (Shannon McManus and Mary Jo Inman) and our No. 2 doubles team had never played in the championship match."

Only senior No. 1 Sallie Johnson and Weaver had played in last year's final against Emerald. And, as usual, the All-Lowcountry star Johnson had no trouble, yielding only one game.

Although Johnson won't be back next year for a shot at a third straight title, sophomore Downing Herlocker should make the move from the No. 2 position without any trouble. Herlocker gave up only one game Saturday to Emerald sophomore Arielle Barraca.

"It was nerve-racking, but we were pretty confident we were going to win," said Herlocker, who missed last season with an injury after playing on a Wando state championship team a year earlier.

As for Weaver's comeback, Owens said, "I told Hailey she was a senior and she needed to win it."

Weaver rallied to win five straight games and served for the first set against Emerald sophomore Claire Gillispie, but had to go to a tiebreaker that she won 7-0.

"I'm a senior and a captain, and I wanted to win," said Weaver, who prevailed, 7-6, 6-3.

"You always feel more confident when you have won a state title," said Owens. "It gives you a little edge."

BISHOP ENGLAND 5, EMERALD 1

Singles: Sallie Johnson (BE) def. Sarah Seigler, 6-0, 6-1; Downing Herlocker (BE) def. Arielle Barraca, 6-1, 6-0; Hailey Weaver (BE) def. Claire Gillespie, 7-6 (0), 6-3; Shannon McManus (BE) def. Maggie Elliott, 6-2, 7-5; Elizabeth Mulkey (E) def. Mary Jo Inman, 6-3, 6-2.

Doubles: Madison Boals/Katie Hentz (BE) def. Sammie Lee Manning/Julianne Welch, 4-6, 6-1, 11-9.